The English Language Center at Drexel University coordinates an International Teaching Assistants (ITA) program that includes two components:

• Preparation –education and orientation– component for the development of English language skills and North American cultural competence.
• Testing and screening component.

These components are described below, along with their principal evaluation mechanisms.

Preparation – education and orientation

Since 1980, Drexel University has offered a summer intensive orientation program for new international teaching assistants, providing intensive instruction in language, pedagogy, and culture of the North American classroom. The primary goal of this program is to orient new graduate teaching assistants to the United States and ready them for their tasks in the academic year.

Testing and Screening

In 1990, the State of Pennsylvania passed the "English Fluency in Higher Education Act," which requires institutions of higher education to "evaluate their faculties for fluency in the English language …using varied and appropriate criteria, such as personal interviews, peer, alumni and student observations and evaluations, publications, professional presentations, tests, or any other appropriate criteria which effectively evaluates such fluency." At Drexel, all non-native English-speaking teaching assistants within the university are screened for language proficiency through an in-house oral proficiency examination, the ITA Speaking Assessment Interview. This assessment is modeled after an IELTS interview and is conducted by the Drexel ELC Testing Center. Scores on the ITA Assessment Interview are matched with a recommendation for a teaching assignment commensurate with performance on the test as well as throughout the training.

For a guide to ITA Speaking Assessment Interview test standards and instructional assignments, click here.

The ITA Speaking Assessment Interview is offered free of charge by appointment through the English Language Center. Students may take the test once each term.